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First Steps News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 14, 2005
[ link to pdf ]
Hootie and the Blowfish Donate $60,000
to Help Children in South Carolina
Donation
to SC First Steps provides school readiness opportunities
for rising kindergartners in 34 counties statewide
The Hootie and the Blowfish Foundation has generously pledged
its support to South Carolina First Steps’ Countdown to
Kindergarten initiative, a statewide school transition strategy
that assists deserving rising kindergartners to be better prepared
for school. The Foundation pledged $60,000 over three years
toward Countdown to Kindergarten, starting in 2005. This summer,
$20,000 of those funds will assist 1,300 children in 34 South
Carolina counties arrive at school in the fall better equipped
and ready to succeed.
The Hootie and the Blowfish Foundation’s donation will
help provide eight instructional visits to each child’s
home by a certified teacher, quality hands-on learning materials
for the child to keep, Spanish translation where needed, and
funds towards a learning celebration to mark the children’s
achievements in the program.
“This program is
all about giving our youngest learners the resources they need
to succeed,” said Governor Mark Sanford. “We've
said all along that if you're going to make a difference in
the education process you've got to make it early, and I'd particularly
single out Hootie and the Blowfish for recognizing that and
going above and beyond the call once again to help improve these
young people’s lives.”
The Hootie and the Blowfish Foundation was created in 2000 to
support the community that has driven its success, with particular
emphasis on meaningful educational opportunities for SC’s
children. “Money should not deprive a child of a quality
education,” said Foundation director Chris Carney. “We
want to do everything we can to help children who may be at-risk
be better prepared to succeed and enjoy school.”
Countdown to Kindergarten was created by South Carolina First
Steps in 2004, with primary partners EdVenture Children’s
Museum, VOICES for SC’s Children, the SC State Department
of Education’s Office of Early Childhood Education, and
local partnerships across the state. In February 2005, Countdown
received national recognition as an innovative school readiness
strategy the National Governors’ Association. Designed
to leverage local resources to aid successful transitions of
SC’s most at-risk children into kindergarten, Countdown
to Kindergarten also targets early parent involvement and increased
community awareness of the importance of school readiness. Nearly
1,300 children and their families will participate in this year’s
Countdown program, more than twice the number of the 2004 pilot
program. Over 120 certified kindergarten teachers in 34 counties
are currently conducting a series of eight visits to each participating
family’s home to prepare the child for starting school
and open the relationship with the child’s family. First
Steps’ ability to reach such a large number of children
this year is only possible through the generous donations of
community-minded groups like the Hootie and the Blowfish Foundation.
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